[throwaway0a5e]

> Did you ever consider that in "sub-replacement" populations they still send poor people down the mines, as that is way cheaper than robots?

As long as the poor guy can choose to work something better wages and working conditions will reflect this (or the mine will shut down). See Europe after the black death.

[PeterStuer]

That is what they call a "big if

[throwaway0a5e]

No. It's not. It's basic supply and demand. You see this every time there's supply side constraints on labor. Usually they're geographic and short lived but big ones sometimes happen too.